The One Left Behind
by Knight-Dawn
Summary: The masters of the White Lotus often say that Korra is surprisingly hot-blooded. Katara knows there's nothing odd about her talent at all. Fire is, truly, in her blood. But that is something Katara has never told anyone. No one must know. Zutara.


__The One Left Behind

...

_The moon was full that night, when they met in secret. The stars shone brightly over the city, the lights from the windows reflecting on the clear, dark waters of the bay._

_It was not the first time they'd met in the dark of night, not even close to it. They'd been doing this for years. The first time had almost been an accident... except for the fact that they had both known exactly what they were doing._

_It was wrong._

_They were both married to other people, had duties to their families and their friends. And, truly, both of them loved their families dearly. Zuko loved Mai and Katara loved Aang. It was no lie._

_But they loved each other, too._

_After that first time, it was not something they could deny any longer._

_So they held their duties to their people, to their loved ones... And met in secret whenever they got a chance. When Zuko came to Republic City on official business. When Aang visited the Fire Nation to help Zuko with his duties. Any time fate brought them together._

_But that didn't make it any less wrong._

_Katara had three children with her husband. Zuko had a son and two daughters with his wife—and another child on the way. If their families knew what they were doing, they'd be heartbroken._

"_Zuko..." Katara sighed._

_Zuko blinked, his eyes opening lazily as he smiled at her. Her heartbeat picked up unconsciously as he held her close to him._

_She didn't have the heart to tell him that they had to stop._

"_I love you, Katara..."_

"_I love you, too..."_

…

"No, Korra, you're too impatient," Katara shook her head. Training the young Avatar was no easy task.

Korra was the exact opposite of Aang in almost every way. She was overly eager and full of fire, despite being from the Water Tribe.

Korra frowned, crossing her arms where she stood up to her waist in the water. She glared at Katara. "But, sifu-Katara... I don't wanna learn waterbending right now! I wanna learn fire!"

Katara sighed. They'd had this argument before. It would've been so much easier if the child had grown up unaware of her role as the Avatar, but when she'd learned to bend earth and fire for the first time at the tender age of four it was rather hard to keep her in line.

She really _was_ a prodigy.

...Not that she needed the ego boost.

"We've talked about this before, Korra. You have to learn them in order."

"Okay, fine," Korra sighed, sinking into a proper stance. "Then let's hurry and get this over with so I can move on!"

Katara sighed and shook her head. Korra was one stubborn little girl, certainly.

The girl never gave up.

"Remember what I said, Korra... be the tide. Push and pull the water..."

"Push and pull," Korra muttered, breathing deeply.

Inhale, exhale. Push and pull.

Katara smiled.

Water and fire, truly, are not so very different.

…

_Katara gazed out over the bay one morning as the sun rose high over the water. Aang was somewhere in the city, helping keep the people in line. It was no easy task, and he was always busy._

_Usually, Katara resented that... but right now, she was just happy it meant she had a little more time to herself. She needed to collect her thoughts._

_Katara wondered what she was going to do._

_She hadn't had her moon time for three months now—_

_And the only person she'd been with since the last time she'd bleed was Zuko._

_She knew she could probably convince Aang it was his child, as long as the child took after her... But in her heart, Katara was afraid that it would be obvious who the child's real father was. Even if the child looked like her, what if it were a firebender? How would Katara explain that?_

_No, Katara couldn't tell Aang about this baby. She had to keep it secret from him, had to hide it from the world._

_Even Zuko had to remain in the dark about his own child. If Zuko found out... He'd want to take responsibility for it. For what had happened between them._

_Katara couldn't let that happen._

…

Zuko showed up unexpectedly to watch Korra's final earthbending exam. Katara met him at the entrance to the compound with a smile, and he smiled back.

"What brings you here, Zuko?" Katara asked.

Zuko smiled at her. "I haven't met the new Avatar yet, I figured it was about time."

"If she passes this test, she'll move on to firebending," Katara said, leading the Fire Lord to the ring where Korra was sparring with three earthbenders.

Zuko smiled, watching as Korra knocked two of them clear off the ring with one smooth motion. "I heard she's pretty good with fire already."

Katara nodded, glancing over to Zuko. "She'll have an easy time with it, I'm sure. At least, the bending part of it. It's control she struggles with, but that will come with time."

Korra nearly knocked her third opponent out as well, but he caught himself and ducked around swiftly. Korra smiled and decided to draw out the fight a little longer.

Zuko leaned forward as he watched her. "She doesn't seem that bad at control, Katara."

Katara chuckled a little. "You don't know Korra, then."

After passing her exam, Korra ran over to Katara. "Well, sifu? How was that?"

"Good, Korra. Very good."

Korra grinned broadly. "Now I can start learning fire, right?"

Zuko laughed. "Eager to learn firebending, is she? Careful, young Avatar. You don't want to end up getting burned."

Korra rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I learned to bend fire when I was four. Even my mother said I was a natural with it. It'll be easy..."

Zuko suddenly became serious again. "There was a time when I thought that way myself," he mused. "But I learned that firebending is a lot more complicated than it seems. It's not just about burning your opponent to the ground or letting rage and frustration drive you."

He met Korra's fiery gaze with his own, and finally it was Korra who glanced away. "That's what everyone tells me," she muttered before giving the Fire Lord a small bow and walking away.

Katara shook her head. "She could learn respect, too, if you ask me."

Zuko smiled. "It's okay. Like you said, that will come with time. I'm amazed at her abilities, to be honest. She's a quick learner... Reminds me of you, actually."

Katara laughed. "Oh, does she? Well, she is from the Southern Water Tribe... I guess we are a lot alike."

Zuko stood up and bowed a little at Katara. "As much as I'd like to stay here longer, I'm afraid I'll be leaving in the morning. I'm about to become a grandfather for the fourth time."

Katara glanced away and nodded, keeping her face serene. "That's wonderful, Zuko... I'm happy for you. I love all my grandkids, too. Every time I get a new one, it makes me happy..."

Zuko put a hand on Katara's shoulder. "I wish I were still in good enough health to train Korra in firebending myself, but I'm afraid the years have caught up with me..." Zuko sighed, one hand straying to rest above the old wound he'd received from Azula.

Katara nodded. "I understand. Don't worry, we'll find her a good teacher."

Zuko smiled, nodding. He glanced around the compound quickly, saw that the two of them were alone, and gave Katara a quick kiss before he went to his quarters.

He left the next morning, and Katara waved as he departed.

It was the last time she saw Zuko alive.

…

_Katara managed to convince Aang to let her go to the Southern Water Tribe alone. Her father's health was declining and she wanted to be there for him... but Aang had duties in Republic City._

"_I'll be fine," Katara had told him. "They need you here."_

_Her father thought the baby she was carrying was Aang's, and she never told him otherwise. She managed to keep it relatively secret from most of the people there, right until she gave birth._

_It was a girl, and she looked a lot like her mother. Katara loved her, and hated to think that she'd have to give her up._

_Katara named her Senna, in hopes that she would develop the power of the sea._

_Before she went home to Republic City, Katara left Senna with a young, childless couple who lived far away from her family in the Southern Tribe. She never revealed her face to them._

_They never tried to find her._

_And when Senna was seven and accidentally firebent for the first time, she knew better than to tell her parents what she could do._

_She pretended that she was a non-bender for her whole life, only practicing her firebending in secret when she knew no one was watching._

_Her favorite time to practice was just before dawn, on the night of a full moon..._

_Eventually, she married Tonraq and settled down with him. He was the only person she ever shared her secret with, but he didn't care._

_One day, fire would be the second element their daughter Korra would bend—after water._

_And when the masters said she was unusually gifted with fire for an Avatar born to the Water Tribe, it was only because they were missing part of the equation._

_After all, fire was in her blood..._

…

Zuko died peacefully of old age around the time Korra began her firebending training. Katara tried not to show how sad his death made her.

Korra saw through her sifu's mask, though.

"Katara, are you okay?" Korra asked, slipping into Katara's private chambers on the compound.

Katara nodded. "Don't worry, Korra. It's just... He was the last of my friends to go. Now I'm the only one left behind..."

Korra walked over to look into Katara's eyes. "Well, I'm happy you're still with me, sifu. I can't imagine looking over and not seeing you there when I'm training. Zuko... He sounds like he was a good man, and the world lost a great leader... But his son's Fire Lord now. I'm sure he won't mess up too badly. I mean, what's the worst he can do?" Korra laughed nervously. "Okay, nevermind. Don't answer that."

Katara can't help but smile at Korra's attempt at being "spiritual." She's as bad at it as Zuko ever was.

Korra saw Katara's smile and stood up straight. "Well, what I mean is... It's my generation's turn to lead... So your generation can take it easy. Okay?"

Katara nodded, smiling at Korra. "Yes, Korra. Thank you."

"Great... Now, are you going to come watch me beat up a bunch of firebenders?"

"Of course," Katara smiled. "Lead the way, child."

…

_It took them four years to find the right family in the Water Tribe. Four years and a dozen false leads. When they received another report of a possible Avatar, the members of the White Lotus were beginning to feel a bit exasperated with the search._

"_Patience," Katara told them. "The world waited a century for the Avatar last time. It can wait a few more years for this one."_

"_Well, it'd be a little easier if it weren't for all the false leads... So many parents want their children to be the Avatar, even when they're not. Take this lead, for example. A young couple from a small, poor village in the Southern Tribe. Both parents are non-benders. I'm sure they'd benefit greatly from the attention the birth of an Avatar would give them. It makes me sick. But we have to check every lead we get... How annoying."_

_Katara had gone still the moment he'd mentioned the village. "What are the parent's names?"_

_The man glanced at his paper. "Tonraq and Senna."_

_Katara's heartbeat picked up pace. The man gave Katara an odd look, and caught her shoulder with his hand. "Katara?"_

"_Yes, you're right. You have to check every lead. Who knows, it might really be the one this time..."_

_Senna._

_Katara had no doubt that Senna's child would be the one._

…

When Korra decided to follow Tenzin to Republic City, Katara gave Korra her blessing. She knew Korra better than the other members of the White Lotus—and she knew better than to try to stop her.

When Korra had a goal in mind, nothing could keep her from chasing after it.

She was a little too much like her grandfather for her own good in that respect, but Zuko had found the right way in the end. Katara did not doubt that Korra would find her path, too.

It was her destiny as the Avatar to maintain the balance of the world, as Aang had before her.

And Katara had faith in Korra.

Her granddaughter.

"Good luck, Korra," Katara sighed, turning around as she went back to her chambers on the compound.

_I love you._

…

**Author: **This idea hit me a long time ago, when I was watching the first Legend of Korra teaser trailer. I thought it was... odd... that an Avatar born to the Water Tribe would be so fond of fire. Even now, it still seems odd to me. She's got a lot of fire in her for a Water Tribe girl (though Katara had a lot of fire in her, too.)

Because it would be epic if Korra were related to Zuko somehow. I mean, darn. She's got a lot of his personality if you ask me. And the whole "restoring balance" thing was just as important for Zuko as it was for Aang. It was part of his destiny too...

I think it would be interesting if Korra were his grandchild, because if she were the grandchild of a Zutara affair then she'd have balance in her blood as well as her spirit. And... who'd ever have guessed that Avatar Roku's great-great-great granddaughter would be an Avatar herself? That's epic in it's own right.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm very excited that the "Big Bad" of Legend of Korra is the same guy who voiced Orochimaru and Makoto Shishio in two other shows. If the choice of him for Amon's voice actor is anything to go by, then Amon is going to be a wicked bad guy. And when you add in the freaky stuff he's doing in the trailers... yeah. I'm very excited about Amon. So excited it is hard to explain with mere words.

Anyway, thank you for reading this story of mine, I hope you liked it!


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